Daniel William Haakenson is a multi-genre vocalist based in Boston, Massachusetts. Originally from Minneapolis, Minnesota, he is pursuing a dual Master of Music in Vocal Studies and Jazz & Contemporary Music at the Longy School of Music, studying with Dr. Dana Lynne Varga and Hayley Thompson-King. Daniel received his Bachelor of Music cum laude in Vocal Performance from St. Olaf College in Northfield, Minnesota where he studied with Dr. Tracey Engleman, and sang in choral ensembles under Dr. Therees Hibbard and Tesfa Wondemagegnehu. Daniel has performed for audiences in the US, Canada, and Europe, including in master classes with Amanda Forsythe, Jake Heggie, Martin Katz, Anne Grimm, and Deborah York. 

A versatile singer and champion of new music, Daniel’s repertoire encompasses several centuries and genres. He made his operatic debut as “the Refugee” in the Nuova Vocal Arts June 2023 production of Flight by Jonathan Dove. Most recently, Daniel performed his first drag role as Madame de la Haltière in the Longy School of Music’s December 2024 production of Cendrillon by Massenet, where he had previously debuted as the Businessman in Rachel Portman’s The Little Prince. Through Longy, Daniel has been fortunate enough to premiere several new works such as the song cycle “Scenes from a Faery Forest” by Kevin Lubin and the chamber operas “Eidolon” by Sid Richardson and “The Telltale Heart” by Shambhavi Mishra.